November Running Journal

November distance: 36.8 miles
November time: 7 hours / 416 mins

Happy December! Holy doodle, I can’t believe it is almost 2018!

This is my first attempt at a monthly review. In November, I decided to try something different and run consistently without having a race on my calendar. I talked about it here if you wanted to read more about it!

I started this month out trying to build my running base back up. Seriously, it’s so humbling. While I’ve been running for three years now, I am not what you would call a consistent runner. I sign up for a handful of runs a year and train for them. Sometimes not very well. Sometimes I over-train. Occasionally, I sign up for runs that I don’t even end up racing (this happened twice this year, due to health reasons, but still).

The first three weeks of November were spent increasing my base. I ran slow miles (typically @ 12:00 min/mile pace), increasing my time spent on each run as the weeks progressed. Friends, I even ran 10k straight (which I haven’t done in ages), albeit over 75 minutes.

The last week of November, I started to do some speed work. I am no stranger to speed work. I seriously love it. Particularly short speed intervals (60-90 seconds) because I feel strong. My heart and lungs still have a hard time with longer speed intervals, which I know are coming up in December.

I am currently only running three times a week. This is the norm for me, while I try to work in some cross training, strength training, and yoga. I don’t know how people can run five days a week. I’ve tried it. I get so burnt out. In the new year, I’m planning on bumping my training up to four times a week to see how my body handles it. I also have some BIG GOALS for 2018, which this increase in mileage can only help.

As I look back on the last month, I’m super proud of myself. I stuck to running without a race on my calendar. I ran consistently and felt strong. I’m proud of what my body has done. Now, it’s time to push it a little farther.